Inspiration: "...What's in a name? If a rose were to be called by any other name wouldn't it be just as sweet?" Juliet from Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Special Shout Out: This chapter is dedicated to Vivi0303. The true inspiration for the last chapter was The Stanford Prison Experiment. I urge you all to look it up if you aren't familiar with it.
Shout Outs: Hetailiamaster99, and fiddlerontherye.
Word Count: 8,747
Chapter 26
The Queen's Chamber: Zelda's POV
I almost thought the strange rattling I was hearing in my sleep was another one of my night terrors waking me suddenly. The discomfort of my somnolence was happening so often lately that it was hard for me to determine what was reality and what was part of my dream. However, my initial theory was quickly proved wrong when I opened my eyes and that same incessant rattling didn't go away. In fact, the knocking continued and even got a little louder over time. Surprised at this notion, I sat up in my bed and stared at the scaffolding across the room for a moment.
This was beyond bizarre.
What in Nayru's dear name is going on out there? I wondered.
It was insane to me for people to be this rude. Who in the world was calling on me at this hour of night, and more importantly, why? Whoever it was seriously had a lot of nerve banging on my door like that. My chambers was not an entryway to a brothel house. I wasn't going to be rushed into action like a senseless woman who was flipped a rupee, and then left in an alleyway to be forgotten like an after thought. I was the queen, and I was going to be treated with the respect my throne deserved. I was aware the people didn't agree with me regarding my decision about Master Link, but they damn sure weren't going to resound in a mutiny in my own castle either. I was a bloody Nohanseen after all.
I groaned slightly and ran a hand through my undone hair.
Let me get this over with, I thought, it's probably more news from the soldiers that the people are 'angry' with me over something new. Perhaps they are unhappy with their dishes and want some new utensils from the royal kitchen.
I realized this wasn't the best time for sarcasm, but I was tired of the blind hatred people were exhibiting towards me regarding their stance for Link. I didn't kill the hero, I simply chastised him. Chastisement wasn't a bad thing, especially for a man who had become increasingly arrogant over time. However, I was also aware in what I was doing for myself, and immediately realized I had to back stride on that contemplation, knowing full well I didn't necessarily believe that. I was simply trying to make myself feel better for my horrible decision. I sighed, thinking I couldn't win for losing.
Don't fool yourself into thinking you're a martyr Zelda, I told myself, you're far from that in this instance.
The knocking continued.
Instead of prolonging this inevitable encounter, I pulled the covers back and slipped my feet into my footsies next to the bed. The pounding outside my door went on, but again, I wasn't going to let myself be rushed because of it. Afterwards, I got up, went into my anteroom where my closet resided, and put on a robe. I looked at my reflection in the mirror to make sure I looked suitable and modest for a visitor. I wasn't wearing a corset that night, and with my white gown, which could be easily seen through with proper lighting, my large bosom was very apparent... very. I had to make sure the 'ladies' were properly concealed. When I was satisfied with my appearance, then, and only then, was I ready to answer the door.
I took in a deep breath.
"This had better be important," I muttered underneath my breath, then turned and added in a louder voice, "come in!"
At the beckoning of my word, the door opened almost immediately and in stumbled two men, Shad and a soldier whom I wasn't familiar with. They both looked openly distressed and winded, as if they had been running the entire way to get here. Surprised at this mild revelation, I had a sudden feeling of foreboding and quickly deduced that my initial assumption was incorrect. These men didn't look like they had any mundane news or anything o the like regarding the people at all. To be quite honest, they looked like they were harboring something far worse than that.
Far worse.
I felt an immediate sense of dread well within my stomach. It was a feeling that was churning and uncomfortable instantly, like my nerves were working overtime. It was a sensation that was none too reassuring, but it was something I often felt when I knew terrible news was nigh.
I looked between both men.
Dear Hylia...I thought, what has happened now?
I didn't waste time with useless pleasantries.
I wanted to know what was going on.
"What can I do for you Sir Shad?" I asked, addressing the scholar directly.
The steward took a moment to catch his breath, having been out of it for a good minute, and when he stood erect finally, he immediately started talking.
"Your majesty, I beg your forgiveness for the presumptuousness and the intrusion of the hour," he started, "but a matter of utmost importance has been brought to my attention."
My ears perked when I heard that.
I hesitated for a second.
"A matter of utmost concern?" I repeated.
Shad nodded, then gestured to the man standing next to him.
"This guard came to me only a few moments ago with some very distressing news regarding the behaviors of some of your men in the prison," he divulged.
I froze for a moment, looked over at the man, and only felt my dread deepen.
The prison... I pondered, that's where Link is.
This was going to be worse than I thought.
"What... what do you mean?" I asked.
Shad cleared his throat and continued.
"If it pleases you my lady," he said, "I ask that you allow this guard to state his piece in this matter. He was an eye witness to the events that have just taken place. It would be better for you to hear what happened directly from him."
This was getting more and more unsettling by the minute.
I then focused on the guard and gave the man my undivided attention.
"Please, good sir," I said to him, "you have the floor, speak freely."
The guard did a quick bow in respect, and was clearly visibly shaken. Whatever had happened must have been something terrible.
"Your majesty, again we are very sorry to disturb you at this hour," he began, "but given the nature of what has just taken place, I didn't know what else to do."
I felt my eyes widen slightly at his words.
This really was none too reassuring.
"What... has just taken place?" I asked.
The guard swallowed hard and went on.
He even seemed a little afraid with the knowledge he had.
"Approximately an hour ago or so, a triad of cavalry soldiers showed up to the dungeon," he continued. "These men claimed a coup was set to break one of the inmates out of prison and they were there to stop it. I had no issue with that at first, until they became noncompliant in producing the proper paperwork to see the prisoner."
I looked from the soldier to Shad mildly confused.
I wasn't exactly sure where he was going with this.
"Paperwork?" I inquired.
This time Shad jumped in to clarify.
"I mandated an order stating that any stationery allegedly signed by you, your majesty, had to be embedded with your seal to be granted as official," he segued.
That still didn't clear up anything for me.
"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, shaking my head perplexed. "What does my seal have to do with these matters?"
My words beckoned the soldier to go on.
"I know this all seems very untoward, but there is a reason my lady," the soldier replied. "The three soldiers claimed they had orders from you to chastise one of the inmates. They even had papers with them, but none of those papers had your seal on them."
I was beginning to see where he going with this, but I was still unsure as to why they needed my seal in the first place. There were protocol and standing commands already put into place for the guards in the dungeons to follow. There wasn't any need for my seal unless there were orders that were written and given directly from me, or if there was a prisoner stationed under special circumstances...
It was then I felt my heart beat a little faster.
Wait a minute... I thought.
I kept my attention fixated on the guard.
"Why would they need orders from me if they were chastising an inmate for insubordination?" I asked. "That's left to your men's judgement."
The guard then looked to the floor.
"That's what I'm trying to get you to understand my lady, it wasn't my men who orchestrated any of this," he revealed. "As I stated before, it was some men from outside the castle, soldiers acting as scouters. They said they had verbal orders from you and didn't need your seal. They claimed one of the inmates was the mastermind behind an attempted escape planned for last night."
I shook my head, still puzzled.
That didn't make any sense.
"I never gave any verbal orders to anyone," I stated, "the only persons I have spoken to tonight were Sir Shad and now you. No one has come to me before now regarding an attempted prison break."
After hearing that the blood seemed to run cold from the soldier's face. He looked like he had just seen a poe. He seemed even more terrified now.
"Dear Hylia," he whispered more to himself than to anyone.
I raised a brow, wanting to be in the know.
"Clarify what you mean by that," I asked, feeling this was going to be much worse than I had anticipated. "If you're going to pray to the goddess in front of me there must decidedly be a reason. Tell me that reason good sir."
The guard looked back at me from the floor.
"The men that insisted they had your verbal order all went in and... and the man they claimed who planned everything was Master Link," he disclosed.
My eyes widened immediately at his words.
It felt like ice just entered my veins.
"What?" I said shocked.
He nodded and went on.
"The main soldier, a young man no older than his early twenties, said you gave him strict instructions to come in and administer what he dubbed 'the queen's justice'," he replied. "He and his men had no seal with your insignia, and they also had a copy of section two article six of the law for the young master's punishment."
My heart stopped for a second when he uttered that.
Please let me have heard that incorrectly.
"Section two article six?" I repeated rhetorically. "Are you telling me those men went in there and stated I ordered that for Master Link?"
The guard hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.
"Yes ma'am," he replied, "and I... I saw it with my own eyes, forty strokes less one, with the last stroke being the death stroke. That of course was not implemented, the hero is still alive."
When I heard that, I had a sudden onset of vertigo and nearly collapsed from disbelief. I was so dumbfounded, I stumbled over my feet as I took several incredulous steps back. Concerned with my reaction, Shad had to come up to me and help me so I wouldn't fall to the floor.
"Are you alright your majesty?" he asked worried.
I could care less about my own well being, I knew right then and there that I had to see if Link was alright. I felt a rush of emotions run through, but the most prominent right now being anger. How could something so deplorable happen right under my goddamn nose?
I was livid for answers.
"Why didn't any of your men stop him from doing this?" I demanded suddenly, ignoring Shad's concern. "How could you let something like this happen?"
The guard looked at me helplessly.
"We couldn't be certain if the order those men had was from you or not," he explained, "but that's why I'm here now my lady, to find out the truth. I'm so incredibly sorry."
I closed my eyes and nearly lost my breath.
This couldn't be happening.
This couldn't be real.
I felt like I was watching all of this transpire from outside my body. There was a brief, but tense, silence between the three of us before I broke it.
"Tell me the names of the men who did this," I whispered, ignoring Shad's concern.
The guard again shook his head.
"I don't know any of their names, but I do know their faces," he replied.
Shad helped me to my feet, then took a step back.
"I'll look on the scouting reports to find out who the men officially were," he stated, "don't worry, they won't get away with this."
That was a certainty that had no doubts.
They damn sure weren't going to get away with this.
How dare those bastards use my name to do something this heinous? I thought, feeling an anger I didn't know I could feel. They could have killed him, left him for dead, and it would looked like I ordered it. They most certainly will pay for this.
I was so upset, I started trembling involuntarily.
It was almost an innate reaction.
I closed my eyes again and made a minute decision right then and there.
"I... I want to see him," I whispered.
Shad looked at me taken aback just then.
"You want to see who your majesty?" he asked.
I opened my eyes and looked at him with open contempt, as tears filled my eyes immediately.
I was in no mood to be patronized.
"You know damn well who Shad!" I shouted at him out of nowhere. "I want to see Link! I can't just stand here when he's been so badly beaten! He could be dying!"
Both men stared at me stunned, but I didn't care. I wasn't worried about rumors or what anyone else's thoughts on the matter, I only wanted to see Link and make sure he was alright. There was a tense silence between the three of us after that, and there could be no denying now how I really felt about him. I was making no effort to conceal the fact I was in love with him, and it didn't matter to me now. My conscience in this moment was searing with guilt. None of this would have happened if I hadn't unjustly imprisoned him. There was nothing that was going to change that fact.
Nothing.
As the silence prolonged, I hurried to my anteroom and put on a cloak over my robe. It was simple, but still ornate enough for people to know I was someone of importance. I didn't want to bring undue attention to myself, but it was all I could do in the time allotted. Before I closed the door to my closet, I saw a bottle of golden chu jelly potion. Knowing it would come in handy, I placed the bottle in the inside pocket of my robe. I then hurried back to the main bedroom, in a frenzy with tying my cloak. My eyes were fixed on the dungeon guard again.
"You will take me to him," I said with a broken voice, wiping my eyes of my tears.
The dungeon guard was beyond shocked at my reaction, but he nodded at my request anyway.
"As... as you wish my lady," he replied.
However, Shad wasn't so convinced that that was a good idea.
"Is that wise your majesty?" he cautioned. "You have no idea what condition his body will be in. It might be too shocking for you to deal with right now."
I didn't care about that, and I wasn't worried about the politics behind this matter either.
"I'm not not going to see him Shad," I replied stubbornly, "I need to know that he's alright, and that has to be seen with my own eyes. It can't and it won't be any other way."
Shad realized he was in a conversation of futility with me. Once my mind was made up on something, there was very little that could be done to change it. He sighed and finally nodded.
"Alright," he said, "let me at least accompany the both of you."
I shook my head.
"No, that's alright," I said, "I want you to concentrate your efforts into finding those men who did this. I want a full report by midday today."
Shad was a little hesitant at my request at first, but when he saw the determination in my manner he didn't prolong the matter.
"As you wish my lady," he replied.
I nodded.
"Thank you," I said, then turned my attention back to the guard, "let's go."
The guard didn't hesitate and started for the door.
"Yes your majesty," he replied, "please follow me."
I nodded again and let him lead the way.
Afterwards, we set out to the dungeon.
Worry beset my mind the entire time.
Please be alive, I begged, please, Link please.
~SSS~
Our arrival to the dungeon was approximately ten minutes later. The place was a buzz with chatter and talk, with most of it being about what just happened to Link. There was no sign of the men who had done this, and when the guards and other inmates saw me enter the main yard, they were beyond stunned. They all looked awestruck for a moment.
A brief silence befell everyone, with only a few pieces of scattered talk breaking the monotony.
"Is that... is that the queen?" one man blurted from his cell astonished.
I ignored him and continued to follow my guide. I didn't want to make this about me.
The man in the cell next to him was about to give him the confirmation he was looking for.
"That is the queen," he whispered to his colleague(?), "I'll be damned."
After that, the general silence broke and the buzz generated again, this time with even some of the guards chiming in.
"What in Hylia's name is she doing down here?" one comrade whispered to another.
His friend shook his head.
"She must have been told what happened to the hero," he replied, "good goddesses, we're all in trouble now."
I didn't reply to that, but he was definitely right in that I wasn't pleased at all in how this matter was handled. How could men with no real authority come down here into another area of jurisdiction entirely and do whatever they wanted to a prisoner? The contemplation of that was insane to me, and a gross disregard to my authority as queen. When my guide and I got to Link's cell, another immediate silence fell over everyone. It was tense, but filled with unspoken candor. There was more said in these men's silence than any words could procure. Whatever happened in that room had to be truly horrifying and disgraceful to provoke this kind of response. My guide stopped and looked through the bars of the door and was almost repulsed by what he saw. From the look on his face I could tell it was a gruesome sight, but I wasn't going to be deterred by that.
I had to see Link.
"Open it," I said quietly.
However, the guard was slow in obeying my command.
In fact, he seemed now to want to take the stance Shad had previously taken.
"My lady... I don't think you want to go in there," he said sincerely, "it's... it's quite overwhelming."
I was growing tired of people telling me what I should and shouldn't do. I knew what I wanted, and that was for him to open this damn door.
"Open it," I said again with a growing impatience, "I won't ask you again."
This time he could tell by my tone that I wasn't playing. However, even still, he was slow about obeying my order.
"The men who did this to him took my keys," he replied, "I can't open it."
I closed my eyes in mild frustration.
How bloody convenient, I thought with sarcasm.
It was no wonder Hyrule needed a hero chosen by the goddesses, the men in general had no backbone. I then turned and looked for the nearest guard with a key set attached to their belt. When I found one, I gestured for him to come over to me.
"You, good sir," I said to him, "please come here and open this door."
The guard looked surprised that I singled him out, but came to where I and the other guard was standing with no hesitations. He tussled with his keys nervously, until he found the one for Link's cell. With a trembling hand, he opened it.
"There you are," he said to me as if he had accomplished a great feat.
I just looked at him mildly displeased with the cowardice that seemed to be embedded in his genetics. I wasn't going to scold anyone now, but a repositioning of roles was definitely in order down here. There was no telling what went on in this dungeon without my knowledge. That was the price I paid for being too trusting. It seemed the whole bloody world needed their hand held. Without acknowledging what he had done, I cut my eyes from him and entered into the cell.
"Close the door behind me," I ordered.
The men hesitated at first, but then did as I ordered. However, as I got a better view of my surroundings, nothing could prepare me for what I found there. I gasped in shock and horror when I saw Link's body sprawled across the floor like a bloody heap. His back was facing up, with open welts bleeding and oozing from every manufactured orifice of flesh. His eyes were closed, with a large bump on his forehead, possibly from a fall he sustained when he passed out, but he was still breathing, which was a good sign. That was my biggest concern, I just wanted to make sure he was alive. His hair, which was normally golden and shiny, was caked with blood and grime from the floor. His face was covered in soot, with a minor gash across his chin from an open wound. The shirt he was wearing, or what was left of it anyway, was torn away at the back and stained with blood. His pants were stained as well, possibly from the oozing of the wounds on his back.
"Dear Hylia," I whispered in disbelief.
I felt my bottom lip quiver as I didn't hesitate to hurry over to him. Tears filled my eyes immediately as I went to turn him on his back. He winced involuntarily but didn't awaken when my hands unintentionally touched his wounds while turning him over. His muscular bodice was much heavier with only my effort, but he looked profoundly weak. He was pale with a gaunt complexion. In all seriousness, he looked like the living dead. I ran my hands through his dirty hair, not caring at all that his blood was staining my clothes. His eyes were still closed and the bump on his forehead was made all the more apparent when he was facing me. The tears continued to stream down my cheeks at the sight of him. I didn't bother to wipe them away.
"Those bastards," I whispered as I continued to stroke his hair and cradle his semi conscious head next to my bosom, "Link, Link, Link please wake up."
I thought I had seen the worst of it, until I panned my vision to the wall he was lying next to and took note of the blood splatter along with the bits and pieces of flesh mixed with it. It was deplorable, and it made what happened to him seem all the more gruesome. It was almost like whoever had done this had taken pleasure in what had been done. It was sick, almost of a demonic nature. It was hard for me to keep my senses as my vision was blurred by a stream of tears. They just wouldn't stop.
I'm responsible for this, I thought, I'm the reason this happened to you.
Hardly, being able to contain myself, I brought him closer to me and rocked him, while I cried against his grimy face. This beautiful person who I had fallen in love with, looked like a broken beaten man. I recalled the first time he made me laugh with his bold manner when he was matching wits with Vincent. He was so unafraid, so willing to take the charge and do what needed to be done for Hyrule. Link was always smiling, always confident in what he wanted to do. Looking at him now, he appeared like a completely different person, and it was my fault... my fault. If I had just let him be to love who he wanted to love, none of this would have happened. If I had just followed my own instincts in the first place and released him a few days ago, none of this would have happened. In short, if I wasn't such a jealous prideful fool, none of this would have happened.
"I'm so sorry Link," I whispered against his hair.
I wanted so badly to turn back time, to make things the way they once were between us. Now I wasn't sure if anything would ever be the same, no matter how many pardons I gave him. What happened to him was bordering the lines of the unforgivable. I was certain, when all of this was said and done, he would never want to see me again, let alone be his friend, and I wouldn't blame him. I wouldn't blame him one bit. However, those were selfish thoughts on my part in the here and now. The here and now mandated that I make sure he got out of this dungeon, and back to fully vigorous health. It was then I remembered the potion I had in my possession. I quickly took it out and put the concoction up to his lips, wanting him to drink it in that instant. Link was slow to respond, but he soon did.
"Come on," I whispered, "you have to drink this."
As if by the subtle urging of my words, he did as he was told. Link was slow at first, but soon he downed the whole potion. The last little bit was drank so fast, he coughed slightly by some of it going down his wind pipe. Immediately, the bump on his forehead went down, and the normal configuration of his handsome face returned. Most of the blood dried up quickly on his back, leaving scaly wounds and scars behind instead of open welts. Really, what was left of the healing process was the residual elixir working throughout his system. He was going to need several days rest and constant monitoring to make sure he wouldn't relapse. His breathing had gotten better as I watched his chest rise and fall, and he seemed to be stabilizing rapidly. Golden chu jelly was a blessing from the goddess.
I took in a sigh of relief at his improved condition.
"Thank Farore," I whispered.
I hugged his cradled head close to me.
"I love you so much," I confessed, knowing he possibly couldn't hear me right now, "I should have told you before now, accepted your answer, and spared you from all of this. I'm so sorry Link."
I felt like I couldn't apologize enough.
Again, tears filled my eyes and I wept bitterly from the guilt I felt. I didn't know how I was going to live with myself knowing this happened to him. I stroked his hair again and kissed his forehead tenderly. Expecting him to stay somnolent, I pulled away and decided to let him rest. However, much to my surprise, instead of Link being sleep, his eyes were opened and he was staring right at me. I felt my eyes widen stunned and gasped in fear.
I suddenly wished I hadn't been so candid verbally.
Had he heard what I said? I wondered.
However, he didn't respond to my surprise. In fact, he seemed like he couldn't respond to my surprise. To be quite honest, he looked like he was staring through me and not at me if that made sense. There was something very strange about his expression. His blue eyes looked glassy, almost opaque with a slight haze over. He then reached up in an odd fashion and touched my face with his left hand. He stroked his fingers over the contours of my face and cheeks, then ran his forefinger over my lips as if he was trying to recognize me.
I felt my eyes widen suddenly when I realized then what was going on with him.
My mouth dropped a little in surprise.
He's blind, I thought shocked.
Link kept his non-seeing eyes fixed on my face.
He was quiet for a moment.
"Who... who are you?" he asked quietly finally. "I can't see your face."
The confirmed realization of that made my eyes quickly refill with tears. I didn't have to wipe them away, Link wiped them away for me. I tried to pull myself together to speak to him. I didn't want him to know who I truly was.
"I'm... I'm just a peasant girl Master Link," I fibbed, "I was sent here to tend to your wounds and offer you some golden chu jelly."
His expression turned to one of perplexity.
"You were sent here?" he repeated and was quiet for a moment again, then he asked. "Who sent you? The queen?"
When he said my title, I froze. I didn't know how to reply.
I wasn't sure what he was feeling towards me right now.
Should I tell him the truth? I wondered.
However, I shook my head slightly in a minute decision.
I couldn't tell him who I really was.
"I... I uh... came of my own accord," I replied, "no one sent me."
Link blinked several times at my reply, looking like he was trying to register what I told him, and took in a deep breath.
"Oh," he replied, somewhat disappointed, which was a surprise to me, "oh I see, I guess she wouldn't have sent you, not with the way she feel towards me now," he said more to himself than to me, then added, "it was very kind of you to tend to me miss. I thought I couldn't have any visitors, what's happened with that?"
I swallowed hard, wishing I could reassure him I didn't hate him. It was actually quite the opposite.
"That's all going to change tonight," I said with a slightly broken voice, "the queen is going to release you and send you to the resident physician in Hyrule Castle Town. He'll take good care of you there."
The news of that seemed indifferent to the hero.
"She's going to release me?" he asked surprised. "How do you know that if you weren't sent by the queen?"
I hadn't thought of that prompt from my reply.
I had to remember my guise.
"I... I had just heard talk that she was going to free you today," I replied, "I'm quite sure it will come true, rumor has it she regrets putting you in here."
My words were met with minor disbelief.
He was quiet for a moment, but then scoffed slightly in contempt.
"I doubt that," he whispered.
I shook my head.
"I don't," I replied with probably a little too much conviction for a woman playing a servant.
Link seemed to be staring at me even though he couldn't.
Again, he was silent for a moment.
"You don't find it ironic that the queen first wants to beat me half to death only to heal me, release me, and have me taken care of?" he asked me bitterly. "It seems pointless to do something so reckless. She must feel guilty or something."
My face crumpled when he uttered that.
He had no idea.
No idea what so ever.
"I..." I had to stop myself and get a hold of what I was going to say, "I wouldn't be so quick to say that young master. I don't believe the queen would order something like this to happen to you."
He scoffed again and smirked in sarcasm.
"You're sweet, but you're incredibly naive," he replied. "The men who did this to me told me it was from her majesty herself," he whispered to me. "Besides, this is no disrespect to you, but I know her much better than you do my lady, and she hates me to the core. It wouldn't be beyond her to take such measures now. You have no idea what she's capable of."
I felt my heart stop at hearing him state that. It was like a nightmare hearing him say these things. An insanely, horrible nightmare. He sincerely believed I was the one responsible for doing this to him, and why not? Those ungracious bastards had lied and used my name to justify their actions. I really did not know what to say to him at this point to change his mind. Everything had become so convoluted.
"Good sir you don't really believe-" I tried.
He seemed to be annoyed with me pressing the subject.
He held up his hand to stop me.
"I don't want to talk about her anymore," he interrupted me quietly, "you're obviously very loyal to her and I don't want my new found hatred for her to her to rub off on you. You have a right to think what you wish, but so do I."
I felt the blood drain from my face at his words.
I was stopped cold.
I felt like I couldn't breathe.
Hatred for me? I wondered stunned. He hates me now?
I shouldn't have been surprised at that. It was a completely justifiable emotion. He thought I was one the responsible for all this. There was a brief silence between us, one where I was going to get up, but it was made short when Link reached for my hand when I tried to get away. He took it and squeezed it affectionately.
"Where are you going?" he asked me softly.
I shook my head not sure I could stay any longer knowing how he truly felt about me.
"I..." I trailed without any real answer, and then decided to give up my futility, "nowhere young master."
Link seemed relieved that I said that.
He attempted to smile, it was more of a grin.
"What's your name?" he asked me.
I was too taken aback at his previous words to warrant an answer to the question. That first omission cut me to the core. I hated the fact that all of this, which was a huge misunderstanding, led to his new feelings for me. There was one time where I could have sworn we were in love, and now we had drifted so far apart that it was like we were on two different islands. I couldn't even keep the tears at bay any longer, I was so distraught. I sobbed softly and didn't answer.
Link looked surprised when he heard me crying. He tried to comfort me by cupping my hand tighter.
"Hey," he said gently, "please don't cry, I'm alright now because of you, and don't worry about the blindness, it will wear off in an hour. Golden chu jelly always does that to me for some reason. It's kind of a hit or miss type thing, which is funny because that usually associated with purple chu jelly."
I shook my head at this strange kind of irony happening between us, knowing he had no idea what my tears were really for.
I sobbed again.
This time Link reached up and caressed my wet cheek. His blue eyes attempted to stare into mine, he looked serious.
"You have nothing to feel bad about," he reassured, "you have nothing to do with this, and I'll be honest with you, some of my own doing is wrapped up in this as well. So, don't cry, please, you don't deserve to cry when all you're trying to do is help me."
His words were so incongruous, and all it did was make me feel like an inadequate fool.
I still didn't reply.
Link then took my hand and placed it on his chest. He caressed my knuckles lovingly, as if we had known each other our whole lives.
"Come on," he said softly, "I need you to stop this because as selfish as this may sound, I actually have a very important favor to ask of you."
I rolled my eyes in my own irritation and annoyingly wiped my cheeks. I hated this. I really did, because it wasn't serving any real purpose. However, when I had myself composed to a point, I gave him my fulled undivided attention. I wanted to know what he wanted me to do.
"What do you mean?" I asked finally. "What favor?"
He looked pleased that I was willing to comply.
"You'll do it?" he inquired.
I sighed.
"That depends on what it is," I said honestly.
Link grinned.
"Fair enough," he replied, then proceeded to point in a general direction, "there's a hay pile in the south east corner of the cell, under it is a very special letter sent to me from a 'would be' anonymous person," he explained, "I need you to find it."
I looked at him puzzled at the odd request, but then got up and did as he asked, wondering what this was all about. I searched the hay pile in the corner and found what he was asking for. It was a stationery in an envelope that had no letterhead on it. I brought it back over to him and placed it in his hand.
"Is this it?" I asked.
Link took the letter and felt it in his palm.
"I think so," he whispered, "I need for you to open and read the bottom signature to make sure. It should say 'A True Noble'. If you don't understand that's okay, I wouldn't expect you to, just don't read the contents. It was written to me by a man who I have been tracking for awhile."
An immediate alarm rang throughout my head when he said that, and I had a terrible feeling the letter was going to be something shocking.
Is he talking about Vincent? I wondered, feeling my heart pound rapidly.
There was only one way for me to know for certain, but I wasn't going to make known to Link I was going to read the whole letter. I opened the stationery and scanned through it. Involuntarily, my eyes widened as the content was unbelievable.
My goddess, I thought.
It read:
Greetings Former Hero,
How are you fairing? Is the cell to your liking? Are you being treated with the
respect you feel you deserve? Better yet, how did the search for the mirror go?
Did you find your beloved Midna? Are you near your objective to make it
to the Twilight Realm? I wish I could see your face right now as you read this,
it's probably priceless.
I stopped cold when I read that, feeling my whole body go numb. I was stunned, completely and totally stunned. I had to remember I was in role and collected myself to continue reading the contents. I couldn't let Link know I was reading the entire letter.
Well, let me move on to the true point of this message, I'm sure you know who
this is and why I'm reaching out to you. I just wanted to thank you for diverting
the attention of her majesty to you, while my sister and I can move freely to find
Hyrule's true master. I know this may seem very unorthodox, but I had to send a
message of appreciation to the man who had done so much to help me. I'll try to make a
good word for you in the new history we are creating. I might even credit you for being
the man who helped the Interlopers free Master Vaati.
Oh, by the way, if you're wondering how her majesty found out about your little
escapade, look no further than the author of this message. I worked painstakingly
hard to make sure she received some information right before you figured out what was going
on. However, I digress, I do hope when you get out you find your precious Midna. I
hope you find her and never let her go... does that sound familiar? Anyway, I would
like to thank you again, and remember I couldn't have met my objectives without you.
You really are a hero. May the winds lead you to better fortunes.
~A True Noble~
I paused again, feeling thrown for a loop. This was exactly what Link was trying to tell me the night I had him arrested. He was trying to warn me that Vincent had laid this trap to ensnare him and me, and I, like a fool, let my jealousy get in the way instead of listening to reason and doing what was right. I didn't know what to think of myself at that point. I was shaken and torn up inside.
He was innocent the entire time, I thought as a fresh set of tears filled my eyes, the entire time... I narrowed my eyes in contempt. Vincent you bloody bastard, you will pay for this.
I gripped the letter as my hand trembled from the residual effects of what I read.
Link was still waiting on my response.
"What was the signature?" he asked.
I felt my throat tighten, but I cleared it to speak.
"It's signed 'A True Noble' like you stated," I replied.
Link took in a deep breath and closed his eyes in relief.
"Good," he replied, "I'm glad it's still there. The guards will confiscate all materials in the cell at the end of the night, so I hid that to make sure it wasn't incinerated."
There was a brief silence between us after that, until I broke. I wanted to offer some solace if I could, but I wasn't sure if that was even possible. I couldn't believe what I had just read.
I decided in a minute decision to just tell him the truth about my reading the letter.
"It... it looks like you've been framed young master," I whispered with an insurmountable remorse that racked at my soul.
Link looked at me surprised and gave me an offhanded look.
"You read the entire thing?" he asked.
I nodded.
"I'm sorry but yes I did," I replied, and still keeping role added, "there was somethings I obviously didn't understand, but the general tone of the message was to taunt you. You were framed."
Link was quiet at first with what I said, but then nodded with his blind eyes fixated to the ceiling above me.
"I was," he said quietly, "and I'm glad you see that without knowing all the details. I need for you to give that letter to her majesty somehow. She won't take it from me, but if she has it coming from someone like you, I'm sure she'll listen to reason. You must make sure she gets it."
I pursed my lips together and nodded.
I got the message loud and clear.
"I'm sure she'll listen," I whispered in a broken voice, "and I will make sure she receives it."
He then grabbed at the air, looking for what I assumed was my hand, until I made it available for him. When he felt it again, he squeezed it immediately.
"Thank you," he said, "thank you very much."
I nodded.
"It's no problem Master Link," I managed to get out.
There was another silence between us after that. One where Link reached up again and caressed my cheek with his strong but gentle hand. He was trying so hard to get my face into focus, but nothing he did in terms of his concentration worked. He knew he was going to have to be patient and wait for the potion to take full effect. He was very eager to try and recognize me.
"Will you please tell me your name now?" he asked me again all of a sudden. "I promise when I get out of here I'll come looking for you to thank you properly."
I wiped my cheeks and sighed, thinking this was the most contrary set of circumstances I could ever imagine being in. Link thought I was someone else entirely, but was completely unaware the woman he was so grateful to was also the same woman he hated so much now. It felt like a complete oxymoron. Even still, I continued in my role as someone else because it was a comfort to him. If I could give him that, then that would be enough for me, because I knew at the end of all this it would never be the same.
Never.
Just tell him what he wants to hear, I told myself, tell him something that will soothe his weary soul.
I stroked my fingers through his sullied hair.
"My name..." I started finally, having to think of something appropriate for the moment, "my name is Elga sir. You can call me Elga."
Link seemed pleased with my revelation and smiled at me.
"Elga..." he repeated, "that's a beautiful name," he whispered, "and I'll bet you have a face to match Ms Elga."
I closed my eyes and didn't know what to say to that. I wanted to run out of there because this was becoming too much to bear.
"Thank you for your kind words," I said with a broken voice.
Link was quiet for a moment with his blind eyes trying to search my face.
"Why... why do I feel like I know you?" he whispered.
My face crumpled again at that.
Because you do, I wanted to tell him so badly.
"I get that a lot," I replied, "I just have that kind of voice I guess."
He caressed my cheek again.
"You do have a beautiful voice," he said, "I almost thought you were..."
He didn't finish and I held my breath.
I wanted him to go on.
"You almost thought I was who?" I whispered.
He looked like he was staring at me for such a long time, but then he slowly shook his head.
"Nobody," he said finally, "that's impossible, she wouldn't come down here."
My eyes refilled.
Yes she would Link, I thought, knowing what he wanted to say, yes she would.
I wiped my cheeks and got a hold of myself.
"I... I think I should be going now," I said, "you need your rest."
He hesitated at my release and seemed disappointed again, but realizing where we both were, he nodded anyway.
"I suppose so," he said, then tried to sit up and added, "thank you again from the bottom of my heart."
I simply nodded, and then helped him sit up against the wall. He was definitely a lot stronger now, he really didn't my assistance, and when I stumbled a little and fell he caught me around my waist. However, this time when he stared at me his eyes looked less opaque, there was even a little glimmer there that wasn't there before. He looked more in focus.
"My sight's getting better already," he divulged, "I can see you pretty dark hair underneath your hood, but I still can't make out the configuration of your face."
I felt my eyes widen when he said that.
I have to get out of here, I thought with a sudden onset of panic.
I hurried to stand up and for some reason his gaze followed me.
Link narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Why do I get the strangest sense of deja vu with you here?" he whispered in almost an accusation. "You have some pretty familiar mannerisms."
I swallowed hard and decided not to answer that.
"Your sight should return to you within the hour," I detracted, "I wish you all the best good sir, goodbye."
I then turned to leave, but before I could go Link grabbed hold of my hand again.
I turned to look at him surprised.
"Master Link..." I trailed.
He ignored my concern.
"Where will I find you?" he asked me. "I really want to know."
I felt my bottom lip quiver.
I closed my eyes and thought of the first thing that came to mind.
"Hylia's Tavern," I blurted out, "I work at Hylia's Tavern, now I must go."
Afterwards, I snatched my hand from his grip and hurried back to the door of his cell.
"Guard!" I called, and the door was unlocked immediately.
I turned back around to find Link staring back at me. It was the most haunting stare I had ever seen. In a way, it reminded me of my dream of finding his dead body along the shore in a wooden shed near Lake Hylia; that glassy stare, this horrible dungeon, his battered and beaten body- this whole place wreaked of a nightmare. When the door opened, I hurried out the cell and down the hall careful to keep my face hidden. The guard who led me there was shocked by my now bloody and tear stricken appearance.
He gave me stunned once over.
"My lady," he said shocked, "are you-"
"Never mind that," I interrupted, "I want Link released from this prison within the hour, and exonerated of all charges. Afterwards, he is to be taken to the resident physician in Castle Town to be tended to immediately. He has suffered immensely from that ordeal. I want him out of here as soon as possible."
The guard looked at me dumbfounded and nodded slowly.
"Yes my lady," he said.
I went on.
"I will have the necessary paper work ready for you in ten minutes," I said, "have a carriage ready to deliver him to Dr. Borville by then."
I didn't wait for the guard's response, as I hurried down the corridor so he wouldn't see my eyes refill with tears. I quickly wiped them away.
You will pay for this Vincent, I thought, this I promise you.